Bill > SB38

This bill modifies Hawaii's housing development regulations by amending Section 201H-38 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to streamline housing project approvals while maintaining certain safeguards. The bill requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to provide counties an opportunity to comment on housing development projects and sets clear parameters for county legislative bodies when reviewing such projects. Specifically, counties are now prohibited from imposing stricter conditions, stricter area median income requirements, or reducing fee waivers in ways that would increase project costs beyond what the HHFDC has approved. The bill maintains the existing 45-day review period for county legislative bodies, with projects automatically deemed approved if not disapproved within that timeframe. Additionally, the legislation ensures that housing projects must either meet specific conditions, such as consistency with health and safety standards, or require 100% of units to be exclusively for qualified residents for the project's lifetime. The bill aims to expedite housing development processes while preventing local jurisdictions from creating excessive barriers that could impede affordable housing construction.

Housing and Urban Affairs, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=38&year=2025